Gen Z 100: Movies and Shows

• Marvel (Melanie Aguirre)

Marvel’s first phase of movies began in 2008 with Iron man starting the ever-growing fanbase for a collection of movies that will now go down in history as some of the best superhero movies ever. Following Iron man would be, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America, among others and ultimately also start the Avengers movies. With the end of phase three Marvel fans were forced to say goodbye to Tony Stark, the start of it all. Of course, Marvel is not done making movies, they have already planned a phase 4 of films to come, so no, it is not the end of Marvel. However, the end of Iron Man was definitely the end of an era, and all we as a generation can think now is “We love you 3000, Tony!” 

• Disney + (Ulises Perez, Ruth Mesfin)

Since the beginning of Disney+ in November, the platform has been a wide-spread video-streaming platform and has a whopping 10+ million users. Known for its throwback Disney movies and shows, Disney+ takes third place as the top 6 video stream services, with Netflix taking second place. Disney+ created an opportunity for teenagers and young adults to reminisce about their childhood by rewatching series and movies that were popular in the early 2000s. Many former cherished programs that are returning through Disney+ are High School Musical, Wizards of Waverly Place, Hannah Montana, Jessie, etc.

• Disney Princesses (Melanie Aguirre)

The first Disney princess, Snow White, was introduced by Disney in the 1930s however the most recent princesses have had a much more significant impact on our generation. Disney princesses once shared a common theme built around the idea of “true love” and “happily ever after.” Times have changed, people are finally understanding that women can be independent and strong. Frozen was the first Disney movie to include Elsa, a princess that did not have a significant other, representing independence and power for young girls everywhere. A rise of inclusion has also caused Disney to include a variety of ethnicities in their collection of Disney princesses, including Moana of Motunui, Elena of Avalor, and Tiana from “Princess and the Frog” expanding the representation of diversity among Disney princesses.

• Phineas and Ferb (Valeria Acosta)

Watching Phineas and Ferb made our own summers seem boring; from creating a new machine to a rollercoaster, and a cheese-themed amusement park it was many people’s childhood and favorite animated series. With 133 episodes that were aired during summer and school time, it filled up a lot of  Gen Z’s time growing up. It also had a catchy theme song many would have memorized without noticing, from how much they watched. 

• High School Musical (Joslyn Bowman)

Let’s be honest, High School Musical set unrealistic expectations for Generation Z. The first day of high school has no songs, dances, or numbers in the middle of the day—but High School Musical does. Even though the first movie of the series was released in 2006, the main characters Troy and Gabriela still hold special places in our hearts. From Sharpay’s diva moments to the scene where Troy and Gabriella danced upon a roof in the rain. The series has us still singing, “High School Musical, who says we have to let it go?”

• Suite life of Zack and Cody (Katiana Williams)

Living in a five-star hotel definitely is not an ideal lifestyle but Zack Martin (Dylan Sprouse) and Cody Martin (Cole Sprouse) definitely made the best of it. With the crazy adventures and life like no other, every kid wanted to be like them. Between meeting celebrities, having access to a rooftop pool, access to a five-star kitchen, and more; the twins turned the hotel into their playground. There were endless pranks and endless fun. The show became so popular that they created another; The Suite Life on Deck.

• Star Wars (Dylan Tressider)

Star Wars was one of the most influential shows/movies on the lives of early to mid-2000’s babies. Shows we watched like Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels deeply influenced us. And, now with the newest movies such as Rogue One, the Solo Movie, and the impending release of The Rise of Skywalker on December 20th, it reminds us of laying on the couch after playing outside, watching some good-ol’ Star Wars: The Clone Wars. It taught us some of the politics of war, (though it was a kid’s show) and introduced kids to the franchise.

• Disney Channel Original Movies (Brianna Sanchez)

Many of us can remember the cinematic music that played right before the premiere of our favorite Disney Channel Original Movie (DCOM). That’s because Gen Z has had its fair share of DCOM through our childhood. Though each movie had its own unique message, what made it special was how it provided Gen Z with characters that made us value family, friendship, and the power within ourselves to be different and create change. The HSM franchise reminded us that, “We’re all in this together” and “Twitches” featured the power between family. 

• Stranger Things (Stephanie Pickens)

Stranger Things is a Netflix original that takes place in the 80s in the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana. It centers around supernatural forces as a group of boys and a psychokinetic and telepathic girl take on the dangers entering the real world from the Upside-Down – a parallel reality that contains the evils of the supernatural. This show rapidly gained popularity and is now in the production of its fourth season.

• RedBox (Giovanni Palazzolo)

Redbox is something we’ve all used before. Whether or not it was for the games or their wide range of movies, there was something special about paying a simple dollar for a nice movie night at home with your family or friends. It is responsible for so many of our memories and great times with the people we care about, when going out to the theater was just too much, Redbox was always there to come in clutch.

• The Office (Cade Palmer)

The OfficeThe Office is one of the most iconic TV shows of the decade. Even though it started in 2005, and was over with by 2013, the Office is still #1 on Netflix. The comedy of Michael, Dwight, Jim, and Pam is one of the funniest shows ever. The puns and quotes are endless.

• Dark souls (Dylan Tressider)

Dark Souls, while mostly catering to the more nerdy crowd, was easily one of the hardest console and PC games to come out in the 2010s. With players spending dozens of hours to grind and beat the game and then doing it all over again, it definitely affected our later childhoods. Though certainly not a game for everyone, it was one of the most influential games of all to those who played it and it worked as a great lesson in perseverance. 

• Baby Yoda Cute He Is (Eric Huynh)

One of the well-known shows that came out with the new streaming network, Disney Plus, was the Mandalorian. The show takes place in the Star Wars Universe; one of the most loved characters that took the Internet by storm was Baby Yoda. A smaller and cuter version of the legendary Jedi master, he has become walking merchandise and a new source for adorable memes. Some may say that Baby Yoda will soon overtake other cute yet popular memes such as Kermit the Frog or Pikachu.

• Suite Life On Deck (Ruth Kussa)

The Suite Life on Deck is an American Teen sitcom that many love watching. It’s a very meaningful, fun show that many people wish did not end. Zack and Cody (the two twins main characters) make new friends and get into so much trouble after they move from their house to a cruise ship. This show is something that many people love watching because it’s so relatable and funny. The Suite Life on Deck was aired on the Disney Channel from September 26, 2008, to May 6, 2011.

• That’s So Raven (Ruth Kussa)

That’s So Raven was a hilarious supernatural sitcom that aired on the Disney Channel from January 17, 2003, to November 10, 2007. Raven Baxter (the main character) can see glimpses of the future which many people wished to have. The T.V is so relatable and just makes you wish to be her (sometimes).

• Shake it up (Ruth Kussa)

Shake It Up is a comedy sitcom that aired November 7, 2010, to November 10, 2013. The show talks about how CeCe and Rocky (The two main characters) want their dream of dancing to take them to stardom. They soon realized they reached their goals and win places as backup dancers on the local Tv show “shake it up Chicago”

• Courage the cowardly Dog (Madison Moon)

 What was most likely one of the creepiest shows of our childhood starred a pink dog named Courage and his owner Muriel. The show kept us entertained but undoubtedly left us with nightmares, like when King Ramsey haunted Courage’s family to recover his cursed Egyptian slab. Today, Generation Z reminisces about the spooky show given to us by Cartoon Network by binging it on Boondocks or by watching the many WatchMojo videos counting down it’s top ten scariest moments.

• Total Drama Island (Madison Moon)

“Total Drama Island” was Generation Z’s first taste of reality television. The animated show followed teenage characters attempting to try and survive on an island camp while competing against one another. A big part of the show was rooting for Gwen and Trent’s romantic success, and disliking the stereotypical mean girl, Heather. The show parodied dramatic tv shows like “Survivor” and “Jersey Shore”. Today, the show is mainly remembered through memes but remains iconic to Generation Z. 

• Fish hooks (Leilah Weathersby)

Fish Hooks is a show that any Gen Zer can recall. Officially airing September 3, 2010, its vibrant colors and contagious characters are part of what made the show so memorable. The plot revolves around two brothers Milo, an adventurous Siamese fighting fish, and Oscor, a socially awkward and their friend Bea Goldfishberg, a dramatic goldfish.

• Lab rats (Leilah Weathersby)

If you were to ask any Gen Zer what Disney shows stood out the most in their childhood, Lab Rats would most likely be their top choice. The show revolves around the character Leo, an ordinary high schooler who moves to his high tech house with his inventor mom and his stepdad. His once ordinary life becomes less ordinary as he stumbles upon a secret underground lab and three superhuman teens.